Alternative therapies

• physical therapy to help patients become more active
• complementary and alternative techniques, such as biofeedback, meditation, hypnosis, relaxation, yoga and acupuncture
• counseling and support group programs to help patients better understand and manage pain and its effects         

• oral nonopioid pain relievers, muscle relaxants, anticonvulsants, anti-anxiety medications, anti-depressants, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• oral, or "weak" opioids, such as codeine, hydrocodone, or oxycodone to treat mild to moderate pain
• potent opioids, such as morphine, fentanyl, or methadone
• anti-inflammatory drugs, such as steroids, to ease pain and inflammation flare-ups         

• nerve blocks to suppress pain signals in targeted spinal nerves
• surgery to remove lesions that contribute to pain
• neuroablation to remove or destroy a part of a nerve, prohibiting the transmission of pain signals
• injectable morphine and other opioids, also known as parenteral opioids
• intraspinal opioid infusion, such as morphine delivered epidurally or intrathecally
• nerve stimulation, also known as Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), to relieve pain by sending gentle electrical impulses through the skin to the nerves
• non-opioid intrathecal therapy, such as PRIALT   

There is a wide range of options and treatment plans for pain management, many of which are discussed here on this web site and in the many free resources available to you through pain management organizations and associations.